The Wolf's Secret
by Alice J. Nightshade
Summary: Wolf tracks return into the snow as Peter does. And so does Carmen, a wild and exotic beauty from far away. But something is wrong in Daggerhorn, something that Peter knows. And something that Valerie is desprate to find out even if she's already too late
1. The Wedding

**Here is the first chapter of my latest fan fiction called Wife of the Wolf. I have never really fan fictoned for this particular book/movie, so you'll have to join me and see where it goes. Hope you enjoy!**

Valerie watched as Roxanne, played with the edge of her plain white dress. She was glad for the girl, she would always be glad for one of her most dear friends to be happy, to have fallen in love boy who would love her back forever. And maybe even more then just that, considering how when ever she watched Roxanne and her fiancé, Thomas together, the two were inseparable, whispering about how their love would conquer for all eternity. With a smile, she handed the shy girl the veil and helped clock it to the circlet that bounded across her forehead and her rust colored hair.

"Ready?" Valerie whispered, taking a step back and viewing her friend fully, before everyone else would. She was beautiful, the fiery colors of her air against the flawless ivory of her fair skin stood out, along with the white of her dress. And the red dotted freckles along her nose only helped enhance the effect. She was the picture perfect bride, going to live a picture perfect life and have a perfect family. If only Valerie could be so lucky.

With a determined nod, Valerie passed the bouquet of wild flowers that shed picked this morning along with Rose and Prudence and bounded with light white silk to hold them together. Then, picking up her own smaller bouquet, she turned, and started her way down the aisle- as was costmary for the maid of honor-, then waited for the bride to follow.

While she walked down the aisle, Valerie couldn't help herself but be reminded that she might never have this. Not jus the perfect wedding, where everyone in the town showed up, including what was left of her family, her mother, horribly scared with claw marks raking across her face, from the monster that had been her father. For the rest of her life, she would have to go one in remembrance of what she'd done in her life. Having an affair with Adrian Lazar, and having Lucy and never telling her husband one word of it. But he, had had a secret of his own, and would ruin every one of their lives to keep it.

Finally, Valerie reached the end of the line and turned, taking a side step and ending up next to Rose, who was wearing the same blue dress that she was, only hers was held lower around the chest for everyone to get a view, and watched as their friend walked down the aisle.

Finally, she stood next to Thomas, her hand sin his and they exchanged the vows that would bound them together forever, while Valerie's mind drifted away, in sadness of who couldn't be there to share this moment with her. Her father for one, who had indeed been the wolf that plagued the town, but still had been a good father and raised her well. And her Grandmother, whose curious ways and wisdom, always had helped Valerie when shed needed it. And Lucie, who'd always been so perfect and was the light of their family's lives. When she'd gone, everything had started to fall apart.

But, she wasn't the only one who'd be missing someone today. The bride was missing her only brother Claude, who'd been at the wrong place t the wrong time and been wrongly, killed after his sister's best attempts to save him, even if it meant giving Valerie's ability to speak to the wolf, to Solomon. But she held no resentment to the girl, she'd done it to save her only sibling, and if the situation were reversed, she'd do the same thing.

But the one person she missed the most, he person that she'd give up her life for if she could just to be with him, wasn't dead. But something, far worse then death. He was plagued by the same disease that her father had held. And she, was desperately in love with him.

"By the power vested in me," The priest continued, and Valerie blinked, shaking her head to focus back into the wedding that she was a part of, and watched as Roxanne leaned in and kissed Thomas, a quick butterfly kiss that she knew would lead to many, many more, and reminded her of something else she may never have.

The next few hours seemed like a dream to Valerie, she said all the right things, talked to all the right people, congratulated Roxanne and Thomas, and wishing her well and finally ending where Roxanne threw the bouquet behind her, and as if fate was just playing at her, the lovely bouquet shed helped picked that morning, fell into her shocked arms and everyone cheered and clapped, except for her.

With a sigh, Valerie placed the flowers down on the table, sitting next to her mother and running a hand through her smooth blonde hair.

"Valerie?" Her mother asked, and she looked up to see that her mother was staring at her with a look that was as close to sympathy as she could get considering half her face s deformed by the claw marks.

"Yes, mother?" Valerie asked, her face darting absently away from her face, and down at the bouquet that was in front of her.

"I know you miss him. She said, and placed a hand on her daughter's in a way that told Valerie that this was going to be a repeat of the same conversation that they'd had a thousand times before. "I know, you must think that he's coming back, but you should know that-"

"Mother," Valerie interrupted, and watched as her mother frowned looked behind them as if to see that anyone had been watching. Even liked this, she always wanted to keep a good appearance. "Peter, is coming back, eventually."

"Of course," Suzette replied patting her only daughter's hand. "But, when he-"

"Enough." Valerie interrupted again, standing up and turning around making sure that none of her friends –especially Roxanne- was looking and stared down at her mother. "You can convince yourself all you ant that he isn't going to return, but he is."

Then she turned, and walked away, walked away form her mother, her friends, and the life that she owned here, completely alone in the hellish world that was Daggorhorn, and wished with all her being that she didn't have to return alone.

**So, this is the end of chapter 1, and I want _you_ to tell me if I should continue or not. I hope you review soon! **


	2. Drowning

**Chapter 2, and I changed the title of the story and I know exactly where I'm going with this so please read! Enjoy!**

With a sigh, Valerie grabbed the edges of her dress and sat down at the edge of the river, allowing her bare feet to paddle against the shallow water of the river. Four days was all it had taken to change everything about her life, and still, nearly two years later Valerie hasn't gotten used to it. Everywhere she went, the memory of the four days under the blood moon popped out at her.

_That was where I was prosecuted. _Valerie would think, as she passed the tavern, glimpsing faintly at the merry people inside laughing and smiling at their good fortune of no longer being plagued by the wolf. Their lives had continued, while hers was stuck in the past. Trapped in the memory of when her sister died, her mother scared for life, the discovery of her father being the monster that tortured her friends and family, and the man she loved being inflicted with the same fate.

"Valerie?" Someone called from the woods, interrupting Valerie's quiet thoughts and making her turn. In the twilight she could see someone's figure, it was hard to tell if it was a man woman, and the voice was to far away to detect anything other then her name, but sure enough they were coming towards her. But Valerie didn't want to go back, so instead she stood, and took a step into the shallow water that rose up to her ankles and made goose bumps rise on her arms and neck.

Another step, and now she was higher up towards her calf, the river was deeper that Valerie expected, but shed never really gone into it, it was something her mother had never allowed her to do, among other things that seemed impractical to the woman.

"Valerie?" The voice called again, closer and now seeming more like a man then a woman, maybe Henry. Ever since Peter's departure they'd become closer friends, even after he married Prudence, who's sharp wit made Henry laugh and who thought that she was utterly beautiful and perfect in every way.

It didn't really matter much to Valier that Henry had moved on so quickly, as usual she was glad for her friend, but Rose hadn't. In fact, Rose had sworn that she would never forgive Prudence, but the threat wasn't lived up too because the next month she'd come crying to the girls with a fear of being pregnant. That was another thing that always made Valerie curious about her friends, what did they tell her, and what didn't they, because neither ne of them had ever learned the name of the child that rose was carrying, and Rose didn't seem like she was going to tell any of them any time soon.

"Valerie, where are you?"

Another step into the water, that was now up to her knees, and then she took another, letting her dress drag along the water's surface as she kept going into the murky deep. Finally, she was up to her waist in water, and she turned, peering trough the dusk to find the voice that had been calling her.

_Where are you? _Valerie thought, searching between the trees while she took another step towards the river and slipped, falling under the still dark water and into complete and utter darkness.

For a few moments, Valerie just sat there, she could feel the floor of the river under her feet, as she pulled her knees closer, while her skirt draped around her like a shroud tickling her legs, but besides that there was nothing, then there was burning. She couldn't breathe, she needed oxygen, she needed life, but where was up? Where was the exit to this dark prison? She searched, pulling herself up, twisting down and finally, she pushed herself up on unsteady legs and burst through the water with a gasp, and stared up at the blank sky, dotted with dim stars, and right above her the full moon.

That's when she heard the growl.

It was low, low enough so that most humans might not have heard it, but her ears were used to the faint sound of a wolf, after waiting patiently for her own wolf to return, but now did she feel fear. She held her breath, and turned around slowly, and came face to face with a bristling wolf's head.

This wolf's eyes were lighter then her father's, they shined a dark gold, that shone in the darkness and it's fur was sleek and black, and it's gave held onto Valerie's with human like focus.

_And behind that face, it is human_, Valerie knew.

Valerie, took a step back, a slow and careful movement, that put about a foot of space between her and the huge beast, their eyes, locked in a gaze that neither wanted to be he first to break.

Valerie took a deep breath, and looked into the wolf's eyes more carefully, was this Peter? How could she know? It could have been any wolf, but she knew that for the lie it was. This was a werewolf, and this might have been Peter.

"Peter?" Valerie whispered, and the wolf's eyes widened for a moment than its mouth turned into an evil wolf like grin that send shivers up Valerie's spine.

She took a step back, and the wolf straightened up, standing above her and ready to pounce on her if it so desired, when someone called out for her again.

"Valerie!" The voice was much closer, maybe even close enough to see the wolf, and the perfect time, for Valier to swim away to the other side of the river, where she might be safe. Frantically Valerie swam, diving under, while she could hear the wolf growling behind her and maybe even following her through the water.

"Valerie!" Now they were with her, and she could feel arms grabbing her upper arms and pulling her out of the water, and in the distance she could hear others.

"Valerie," Another voice said breathlessly, a higher voice then the other and the rough hands that had dragged her out of the water and onto the shore were replaced by softer gentler hands and her face was tickled by soft hair as someone leaned over her. Are you alright?"

"Prudence?" Valerie whispered, coughing up a mouthful of dirty water and staring up at her friend's soft and anxious face, "What-where-what happened?"

"You fell in." Prudence explained, and Henry's face came into view along with Prudence's.

"We saw you go out here, and we wanted to make sure that you were alright." Henry explained, putting on a soft and embarrassed smile. "You fell in then you started to thrash and try to swim back."

"The wolf," Valerie whispered, and tried to sit upright, staring down at the other end of the river. "I saw…."

'There's nothing there." Prudence told her softly, and Valerie could see that her friend was right. There was no wolf at the other side of the river.

Not anymore.

**You like? You hate? Please review!**


	3. Reunion

**So, I know I haven't been really with this fan fiction, but I'm going to try because I know exactly what I'm going to do, and exactly how I'm going to do it and I am so excited! Enjoy! **

**And before i forget, this fan fiction is now called, the wolf's secret. Just saying :)**

"I swore it was a wolf." Valerie said, for what seemed like the sixth time since Prudence had appeared at her front door. Since her grandmother's untimely death, or as Valerie and Peter knew, murder, Valerie had taken refuge in the old woman's home that had once brought Valerie so much joy. Now, she could climb the tall trees she had climbed as a child with ease. "And it was standing right in front of me."

"You're tired." Prudence insisted, playing with a loose strand of thread that had come undone along her dress. "And you might have seen a wolf, but it probably wasn't-"

"I don't think it was Peter." Valerie admitted, pressing her forehead against the cool glass of a window. "Its eyes…They were so different from his. So, lost and confused." She turned around to face Roxanne. "It was like they didn't even know me."

"Well maybe he didn't." Prudence snapped. "He's a monster Valerie, and you're my friend. I couldn't stand it if I saw you got hurt because of his stupid wolf instincts."

Valerie sighed and sat down across from her friend, pulling her legs close to her on her chair.  
>"You were alright with it a year ago."<p>

Prudence sighed and lowered her head, her dark hair falling around her shoulders and covering her face like a dark curtain. "That was before." She looked up and her eyes were rimmed with tears. "You know that I'm different now, Valerie. We all are."

"I know." Valerie said sadly, getting up and kneeling before her friend and taking both hands in hers. "I'm sorry I brought it up. I'm nervous and I don't know-"

"Hello?" Someone called from the outside of the house and knocked furiously in a rhythmic pattern. Rose. "Anyone home?"

"We're in here!" Valerie called, passing Prudence a tissue which she took gratefully, wiping tears away quickly before their friend came inside.

Rose was like a tornado at times.

She could be somewhat small and harmless, or she could end up destroying everything in her wake. And now, she seemed to be in the second mood.

"Hello Rose." Prudence said cheerfully, even though that the rims of her eyes were still red from the tears she had just shed. "You look like you're in good mood."

"I'm not." Rose snapped crossing her arms over her chest despite her wide stomach. Her clear gray eyes were sharp and accusing, darting from Valerie, Prudence and back again, before sitting down into a near chair with some effort. "Which is why I'm here."

"I can't do anything to help your mood." Valerie said in a joking matter, moving to pick up a small black kettle and clipping it on a rail over her fire lace where the flames could lick the bottom and boil the water inside.

"I don't think you can." Rose admitted, looking down at her hands. "But, this might make you upset too."

Valerie raised an eyebrow, and sat back down next to Prudence on the small sofa. "What do you mean?"

Another thing about Rose was that she never beat around the bush. She was strict, and told you what was without sugar coating the news at all, either good or bad.

"There've been wolf prints near the woods." She said sternly. "Everyone is talking about it in town, saying that the witch probably lead it back." She turned towards Valerie softly. "And, there's been talk."

Valerie kept her face impassive and met Rose's gaze head on, it was just talk. They were always talking, but it was the stares that unnerved Valerie the most. The accusing cold and knowing glances that she was somehow tied to the wolf that had plagued their town, and when ever something went wrong, she was the first suspect.

"About what, Rose?" Prudence asked, finally breaking the stiff silence between the two girls who'd locked in an everlasting stare.

"About the wolf." Rose continued, still staring into Valerie's eyes. "But, a new one."

"That's crazy." Prudence said half heartedly, shooting her friend an anxious glance that Rose didn't see.

"Yes," Valerie agreed, turning away from Rose and back to Prudence. "Crazy."

"I don't think so." Rose said suddenly, standing up, with some effort and cocking her head at the two girls as she started to walk over to the fire and traced her hand along the mantle. "It could be someone in the town, but we never know." She paused, and a small smile crawled onto her soft but cruel face. "Do we?"

Valerie stood, angry that her friend had done such a poor way to indicate that she had anything to do with thee wolf, but sad too. She couldn't blame Rose entirely; she didn't know everything that Valerie and Prudence knew.

Prudence gasped, and then Rose turned, her face going pale and making her dark curls stand out brightly in contrast. Both girls fixed their attention on Valerie, and tried to meet each of their gazes curiously, before she realized that it wasn't her whom they were staring at.

It was someone behind Valerie.

"Valerie." The voice was warm and filled with love. It was a voice she'd grown up with, a voice she'd told to stay away from, and a voice that followed her everywhere, when they were there or not. It was the voice that belonged to her true love, and who would fight against anything, to keep her safe, from the curse that had been inflicted upon him.

And when Valerie turned, she saw him standing right there. Dark curls falling into his face, longer then the last time she'd seen them, his face darker as if he'd spent time in the sun and his body lean and muscular from living on his nature wolf instincts, hunting and living like the wolf he was for the past two years.

Peter had returned at last.

**Yay, Peters back. Boo, Rose is being all annoying. Did you like? You glad I'm back? Please review and give me some pointers if you wan ton how I can make this story super amazing! **


	4. Back At Last

**Chapter 4! Peter and Valerie time, yay. Please enjoy! **

"Peter," Valerie whispered, and suddenly she was in his arms. Every minute that they seemed apart was made up for her being back in his sure arms. "Your back."

"I couldn't stay away," Peter whispered back, and she looked up into his sure brown eyes, the brown eyes she'd known since she was a little girl climbing the highest trees with him that they would be the eyes she fell in love with.

Someone cleared their throat behind them, and Peter and Valerie pulled apart, but Peter kept his arm around Valerie's waist, a gesture that told anyone, she was his and only his.

"Peter," Rose said a bit coldly, staring at him with accusing eyes as she took a step forward, her large stomach protruding under her faint purple dress, her dark hair falling wildly around her white face.

"Rose," He replied, cheerfully. There was no malice in his voice to mirror hers, but she could feel him tense up slightly as she took a step close and cocked her head to the side slightly, watching him, studying him.

"Welcome back," She said casually, and turned to Valerie, her brown eyes meeting Valerie's blue ones. "I'll talk to you later, Valerie."

Taking a step around Peter, Rose opened the door and let it fall behind her, a small chill of the dusk air the only thing that told the people that were left in the cabin, Rose had departed.

"Prudence?" Valerie asked, seeing that Prudence was staring between Peter and Valerie like a frightened deer caught and cornered by a hungry wolf. "Are you alright?"

Prudence shook her head, trying to rid something from her mind perhaps and nodded, taking a hesitant step towards the couple. "Um, welcome back Peter."

"Thank you, Prudence." He replied, his arm realized and but Valerie could see the faint trace of suspicion in his eyes. "Would you mind if me and Valerie could have some time together?"

Prudence nodded furiously, and looked at Valerie apologetically before darting out the door, and the second that it shut, Peter pulled her in his arms and his lips were on hers.

The passion between Peter and Valerie was electric, a fiery sting that couldn't be measured by time. Seconds could have been minutes or hours to Valerie and she would never get enough of Peter.

"Valerie," He whispered, pulling back, his hands cupping her small face and his eyes hypnotically linking with hers. "I've missed you, like you wouldn't believe."

"I know," Valerie whispered, back, her eyes streaming with tears of pure joy. "I'm so glad your back."

And she was and life, for that moment and the next was pure and utter unconditional bliss.

. . .

"So, tell me what it's like." Valerie demanded playfully, handing him a bowl full of soup that's aroma tempted her nostrils even from a distance. She was too excited to eat, but Peter wasn't and had been eyeing the small pot of soup where she'd been brewing it since he'd sat down on the couch. "I want to know everything."

"It's amazing," Peter told her enthusiastically, bring a spoonful of her brew to his lips then wincing at the taste. Since his absence, Valerie had started to grow a variety of plants from seeds she'd gotten from travelers. In a back room of her grandmother's cottage there was enough room for a make shift green house. Since then she'd been growing vegetables for herself and herbs for her mother's headaches, Rose's morning sickness or anyone else who dared to find her in her mountain home. "It's better then we imagined."

"Really?" Valerie asked, sitting close to Peter, her eyes shining.

Peter gave her another nod. "The city is beautiful and big and the sea…nothing compares, Valerie. You can buy anything anyway, no matter the season in some cases and the people are unbelievable. I was traveling with some gypsies and-"

"And?" Valerie asked with more enthusiasm, but Peter's eyes grew far away and hazy, as if he was seeing something she couldn't see. "Peter, what is it?"

"Nothing," Peter shook his head, and smiled at Valerie, putting his bowl of soup down on the small table and clasping her hands in his. They seemed so unbelievably small in his giant ones, as if they would shatter into a thousand pieces if he squeezed too hard, and maybe they would. "Tell me what's happened here while I've gotten. I've seen Rose hasn't changed…much."

Valerie smiled, and rolled her eyes. "Yes, she has. She won't say much about him except that she wouldn't be upset if she never saw him again." She laughed softly. "Henry and Prudence got married last summer and have been visiting often. And I…" Valerie bit her lip as her voice trailed off.

"You told her what happened." Peter suggested.

"Don't be upset." Valerie pleaded. "She had a hunch before I'd even told her. She said that she'd always thought there was something wild about me."

Peter grinned, a quite wolfish grin to be precise. "It's alright, Valerie. I'm glad you can trust her enough to tell her everything. Although, she was still quite stunned to see me."

Valerie nodded. "It's a bit different hearing about the wolf then actually seeing it in the same room as you are."

Peter grinned, and put an arm around Valerie's shoulders as she melted into his chest. "You don't know how long I've wanted to do this," He whispered into her ear. "To touch you, to smell you, to.." His voice trailed off as he kissed the back of her neck sending shivers up her spine.

Instead of answering his want and his need, Valerie craned her head upward and embraces Peter in a long and passionate kiss, while the single cry of a wolf howled only miles away.

. . .

The wolf's howl broke off, now wasn't the time to single his present. Now was the time to wait.

The wolf shook its massive head, night's cool touch trailing along its fur briskly reminding him constantly of where it was. Another howl, shorter this time, and then it was off running, nostrils filled with the many scents of the town. Crisp and musky smoke, robust and sweet blood from its early kill, and faintly, so hard the wolf had to concentrate very hard on it, was the reason it had come.

Patience, the wolf knew. Even though it's animal instincts ran wild in its shifted body. The golden eyes that it wore were human and knew that now it had to wait.

Patience.

**So obviously, the new wolf isn't Peter. Then who is it? Care to guess? Are you enjoying this? This story is going to have so many twisted it won't even be funny, and that is why I am going to love it! Please review! **


	5. Eyes Of Gold

**Chapter 5, and this one has a cliff hanger. Please enjoy. **

"I can't believe you talked me into this." Peter complained half heartedly, draping an arm around Valerie's shoulders. "Drinks with your ex fiancé and his wife who once almost gave you up as a sacrifice. Sounds like a good time."

"They happen to be good friends of mine, Peter." Valerie scolded, pulling her red cloak closer to her body against the slight chill left over from the early morning. "And Peter helped save me, remember?"

"Vaguely." Peter replied, as they walked under the gates of Daggerhorn. From here the sound of life as it always was in Daggerhorn was gradually getting ,louder, Chickens clucked, eager for their midmorning feed, wind blew through straw roofs and laughter echoed from the tavern in the heart of the town. "Wow."

"I know," Valerie agreed. She hadn't come back to the town much after Peter had left, just every so often when she wanted to visit her mother of friends or needed more supplies. But even then, it wasn't worth some of the uneasy looks she'd gotten from the fellow villagers. "So, to the tavern?"

Peter bowed grandly and playfully. "After you."

While they walked towards the tavern, they spoke about simple things, how nice the weather was, how her mother was doing and if it would start snowing this early, trying to fill any awkward silence that might otherwise be filled with the occasional angry murmurs directed at them.

"I hear she murdered her own grandmother," One woman whispered to her friend who stared back at them with wide curiosity.

"I hear her mother had an affair." Another woman prattled on while they passed. "And the daughter fell in love with hr own half brother."

"I hear that they killed the wolf." A little boy told to two little girls who clutched their dolls in fear. "But that one of them still bears its curse."

"Don't listen to them." Peter whispered in her ear, but she kept her face impassive. This might be new to Peter, but this was something she'd learn to live with. And even if they wouldn't say it directly to her face, most people would never accept her again.

Finally, they were at the tavern. Its colorful glass window's tinted odd colors, changing the shapes and faces of the people inside. The building gave Valerie mixed feelings now, dark memories clouding hr current state and now she was going back inside.

But this time she wasn't alone, she was with Peter, who would protect her at against anything that threatened her.

"Valerie!" prudence called, and both Peter and Valerie turned to see that the Lazar couple was walking up to them.

Two years had changed Henry Lazar, besides making him braver; he was much stronger and leaner too. For the past twenty four months he protected the boarders of Daggerhorn and now, as he saw Peter his eyes shone bright.

"Peter," He said warmly, embracing Peter in a quick hug as he smiled at both Valerie and him. "Prudence told me you'd return but I'd wanted to see you myself."

"It's nice to see you again too, Henry." Peter replied, and his words were true. When he left, he knew he was leaving Valerie in protected hands. "How are you both?"

"Unbelievably happy." Henry replied, pulling his wife close as she blushed. "Aren't we?"

Prudence nodded enthusiastically. "I've never been happier then I am now, especially." She smiled at Valerie. "Since you've returned Peter. I know you make her extremely happy."

'Thank you, Prudence." Peter replied, touched. "That means a lot."

"Well," Valerie asked, putting her hand on the door handle. "Why don't we all go inside?"

"Mmhm," Prudence replied and Valerie pushed open the door into the bustling and warm room of the tavern.

. . .

Throughout the tavern people were talking, yelling and laughing. Two men locked in an arm wrestling contest yelled insults at one another while a third chucked heartily, sloshing bear thoroughly out his mug and all over the table. Young barmaids constantly darted in out from behind the counter, distributing as many beers as they could hold before running back to bring more, never fully being able to satisfy the men's craving.

Peter, Valerie, Henry and, Prudence managed to get a table set in the corner of the bar, near a window that they could see out of and slightly hidden away from all the other bar goers. The men ordered two oak beers for themselves while Valerie and Prudence asked for apple cider, and soon one of the maids returned, face slightly red from the hard work or the humidity and passed out the beverages. After giving Peter a quick uneasily look she hastily left, not asking for any payment nor a tip.

"That was nice," Prudence said, breaking the awkward silence that followed, and sipping her cider.

"I think Peter just has that effect on people." Henry joked.

"It's true." Peter grinned. "Don't you just want to give me your drink?"

Henry looked at Peter memorized and slowly pushed his cup over to Peter before snatching it back, making everyone at the table crack up.

"So, Peter." Prudence asked curiously. "What have you seen on your….travels?"

"So many things," Peter replied, and Valerie turned to him in her own trace watching as he spoke of life on his own and the many cities he visited.

"-and for a little while I travels with a band of gypsies." He finished.

"Really?" Valerie asked, eagerly waiting for that subject to come up. "What were they like?"

"Different." Peter replied, wearily. "They never stayed in the same place for more then a week. It was either that the money ran dry there or they were chased out and had to go somewhere else."

"Sounds like a dream." Henry pointed out with a smile. "I hear they know witchcraft. Is that true?"

"If by witchcraft you mean making money disappear out of your pocket and into there's or disappearing then yes." Peter laughed. "I guess they do."

As the two men jumped into a conversation that Prudence joined into with an occasional, 'yes' or 'that's true.', Valerie let her mind wander. And while in her dream like state, the thing that brought her back was when she thought she was being called.

"I bet she's a witch."

Valerie blinked and turned, about to shoot a dirty look whom ever had said such a thing, but instead she saw that no one was looking at her. Everyone's eyes were on someone who'd just entered the tavern.

She was tall, about two inches taller then Valerie and nearly the height of most of the meant the tavern. Her wild black hair fell down her shoulders and nearly to her hips in long uncontrolled strands like a dark curtain of mister. Her skin was sun kissed, as if she spent most every day in the sun and she had a wide smile on her face.

She wore clothes no woman in Daggerhorn would see proper. A long crimson skirt twisted freely around her ankles were black lace up boots peeked under. She was wearing a white blouse that tied up the front and around her shoulders was a dark green cloak. Most cloaks were gray or black, so to Valerie who owned the only cloak that wasn't such a color to see this new beautifully colored one, caught her eye.

Finally, the woman turned, and Valerie nearly jumped out of her seat and run for the door at the sight of brilliant gold colored eyes.

**Well, Carmen has finally joined us, and now the story will really begin. I'm so excited! Are you? Review please!**


	6. Cruelty

**Chapter 6, and it's a bit shorter then most but it's still good. Enjoy. **

"Valerie?" Prudence asked and Valerie turned back around, her face still white. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," She replied, picking up her glass and drinking it without meeting her friend's gaze. "Why do you ask?"

"You're white as a ghost." Prudence replied, and looked around Valerie toward the gypsy girl. "Do you know her?"

"Know who?" Peter asked, and ruined around too, then his face grew just as white as Valerie's.

"Peter?" Henry asked, curiously. "Your acting pretty weird, Valerie too."

"Peter?" a feminine voice called, and everyone at the table turned to see the golden eyed girl was walking towards their table.

. . .

"Peter?" She asked again. She had an accent, and from up close Valerie could see that this girl was actually quite pale. "Peter, it is you."

"Carmen." Peter said warmly and he stood, walking around the table towards Carmen. Once they were close she pulled him into a large hug that Peter didn't object too. "It's good to see you."

"It's god to see you too, Peter." Carmen replied, puling back, golden eyes shining as she turned back to face the rest of his friends. "I didn't know you knew people here."

"Carmen." Peter said calmly. "These are my friends, Henry and his wife Prudence. And this," He grinned at Valerie. "Is, Valerie. She-"

'This, is Valerie?" Carmen echoed and moved in front of Valerie. "_The, _Valerie?"

"Yes," Peter replied wearily and sat back down next to her. "The Valerie I told you about."

"Wow," Carmen breathed, and pulled a chair toward their table. "I've always wondered when I was going to meet you."

"Um, excuse me?" Prudence asked, and Carmen cocked her head in her direct, her golden eyes fixed on Valerie. "Who are you? And how do you know Peter?"

"Oh." Carmen smiled and stood, pushing her chair back and curtsying for the group. "I am Carmen De Luna. Performer of the Circus Fantasy and an exotic traveler." She sat back down and crossed her legs. "My family and I travel all over the world and perform from place to place."

"How do you know Peter then?" Henry asked, while Valerie still sat speechless.

"Oh, that's easy." Carmen continued. "A year or two ago, while we were traveling we'd met Peter on the road. He was alone, and looked quite lost so we'd allowed him to travel with us." She smiled fondly to herself. "We'd always allow travelers like ourselves to come with us. It's the roamer's way."

"You're a gypsy." Valerie said, just to put a word in while she tried not to look into Carmen's hauntingly familiar eyes.

"Of course," Carmen continued. "He stayed with us for a month or two; really hit it off with my younger brother Daemon and I. All three of us we so close. We'd go running in the woods, stay out all night and watch as the moon rise. But then….." She paused and looked down at her hands "well….Then he left." She turned to Peter with a teasing smile. "But I knew we'd meet each other again, wouldn't we, Peter?"

"Yes," Peter replied, almost coldly. "And we have, haven't we?"

Carmen grinned and turned to Valerie, resting her chin in her hands. "He talked about you often, you know? Every time he saw a girl with blonde hair, I knew he'd be thinking about you, his _poco cacciatore._"

"His what?" Prudence asked, but Carmen just laughed.

"It's Italian." She cocked her head and let her eyes drift to each one of the people at the table. "I never knew you were from Daggerhorn, I'd always thought you were like us. A wanderer."

"No," Peter replied and wrapped his arm around Valerie as he pulled her closer. "My home is here."

Carmen looked down at his hand on Valerie's hip and she saw something flash in the woman's golden eyes. Anger? "That's good then. I'm glad you've found your home." She stood and put a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "You know, Valerie. From what Peter's told me, you and I are quite alike. Maybe we should talk some time." She grinned. "I really do want o get to know you better. To know, all of you better actually." And with that she left.

Conversation went on awkwardly after her departure, and unspoken questions hung in the air. But for one thing, Valerie was sure. She would defiantly speak with the strange gypsy girl.

. . .

As Carmen got out of the Tavern, she let herself wander.

A new town was what she needed would be what she would tell anyone who asked, but she had a mission. She let herself walk past the store shops she'd seen nearly a million times in a million different towns but in this town something was different. She walked into the woods, tree's darting around her and as kept going, and she saw stone sticking out uneasily. Getting closer, she knew what she'd find.

An altar abandoned and allowed for the forest to take it back over, vines over growing along its stone walls, leaves covering nearly the entire path towards the stone alter and cracks up along its surface.

As a child she'd been told to fear an altar, that things befell it month after month, year after year the same cruel fate following the next. But now, Carmen found it strangely comforting.

"I will do it." She whispered and reached under her shirt, pulling back a long gold chain and playing with the charm at the end. It was a gift she'd gotten before she could walk, and now was cruel and ironic.

The charm was a wolf, baying its head at the moon she couldn't see, made of a dark stone. The wolf stands for many things her father used to tell her. It stands for strength, loyalty and intelligence. But now, the only meaning to Carmen the wolf brought was cruelty.

**So, what are you thinking? Tell me and review! **


	7. An Escape

**Yay, chapter 7. I'm really starting to like this series, even though sometimes I get serious writers block, its fun and I love it. Enjoy!**

"She's a weird one, isn't she?" Prudence said two days later after meeting Carmen while they walked into the small village to visit Roxanne. "I've never seen anyone like her."

"I know." Valerie replied awkwardly. Actually, she thought of Carmen as quite pleasant, but a bit strange, just like her. But something about her was so familiar; it was as if she already knew the gypsy girl. "But, there's something about her…"

"Like what?" Prudence asked curiously, pulling her cloak closer around her shoulders. She was wearing a dark green dress that brought out her the green flecks in her hazel eyes. At Valerie's silence, she sighed and moved onto another topic. "How to you think Rose is?"

"Not so great." Valerie replied. "I haven't seen her since she came over to the cottage with you."

"The baby's been getting a little rowdy." Prudence explained, sympathetically. "It happens nearly every month and I hear it's getting serious."

"Me too." Valerie said sadly. "I wonder how it's going to be when it's born." Valerie wondered and then a loud scream cut her off.

"Get out of here you harpy!"

Valerie and Prudence turned to each other and ran towards the voices, not surprised at what they saw. A loose ring of villagers had crowed around the outside of a small inn that Mrs. Cutter ran. The old woman who lived there was, in Valerie's opinion, one of the sweetest people in Daggerhorn. She never looked away from Valerie when they passed each other on the road, and would even give her a small smile on the best of days. But now, the old woman's white face was pulled into a hateful gaze as she cursed at n unseen person in the street.

"I'll teach you to steal from the butcher and hide it in my inn!" She yelled, ignoring the new audience that had piled around her and her ex guest. "No one will help you once they know what a thief you really are!"

"Please!" They heard an accented voice beg. "You don't understand at all."

Valerie and Prudence had come to the front of the circle, and saw that Carmen was lying in the street on her back, a small sack of her things thrown near her and spilling out next to her like a bag full of trash. And to these people, it truly was.

"I understand fully!" The old woman screamed pointing an accusing finger at Carmen who flinched at the woman's words. "No one will ever want you to darken their doorways with the likes of you; now get out of my town."

The circle of villagers cheered in response to the threat while Carmen's scared eyes darted from one face to the next, an action that Valerie knew. And that was why Valerie took a step into the ring and walked towards the fallen girl.

"Well look at that!" One villager called. "A witch helping a thief."

"Like you can call yourself any better then her!" Valerie snapped, and turned to the villager. "Like any of you can call yourselves anything but innocent."

"What are you screaming about?" An old woman screamed, and Valerie wasn't surprised to see that Madame Lazar was glaring at her almost daughter in law. "We've done nothing law, but she is a thief."

"Oh no?" Valerie asked sarcastically. "You've all never done anything wrong? What nearly sacrificing a human life that wasn't your own to give! You all put your own destines in the hand of a man who killed his own life!"

"That woman was a werewolf!" Another villager called.

"And that justified murder?" Valerie asked. "Because apparently it justified human sacrifice." She shook her head and looked at each one of the faces of the people she'd grown up with and who had decided to give up her life to save their own.

"That didn't even work!" the old Lazar woman hissed. "And now my son is dead."

"Yes your son is dead." Valerie snapped. "And so is Father Auguste and so is my father. And killing me off could have fixed that?" Valerie shook her head at the village. "You're selfish, and you know it. And that's why you call me a witch. Because you have no one else to blame but yourselves!" She turned down to Carmen and took her hand, helping up the older girl and gathering her stuff then leaving the village, her friend and her harsh words alone towards her true home, the woods.

. . .

"Thank you," Carmen said warmly as Valerie gave the girl a bowl of soup and bread. Her grandmother's tradition had stuck with her, and Valerie smiled. Out of the fond memory and for the sake of the gypsy girl.

"So," Valerie said, sitting across the girl on the other couch and playing with the end of her red cloak. "What did she accuse you of stealing?"

Carmen choked, and looked down at her hands. "Meat, from the butcher. She saw…..well…she saw blood on my hands and instantly accused me of stealing."

Valerie kept her face impassive. "Did you steal it?"

Carmen shook her head, and looked up. Her golden eyes shining in the light from the dying fire. "I told him I would pay for it, but he didn't care for my money. He through it at me freshly cut and bloody."

Valerie nodded and looked down at her hands. The two girls lapped into an awkward silence and finally Carmen broke it. "So, where's Peter?"

"He went into town with Henry this morning." She replied nonchalantly, and then cocked her head at Carmen. "Why are you here?"

"What?" Carmen asked, and then shrugged. "I needed…well I needed an out. So, I came here."

"To Daggerhorn?" Valerie asked skeptically. "Why?"

"I wanted to be somewhere I wouldn't be found." Carmen admitted. "But, that obviously didn't work out."

Valerie smiled. "True, but I as asking why are you here? Alone?"

"Oh," Carmen's face fell. "Well, let's just say that something bad happened in my family awhile go and I just haven't gotten over it yet. I need to be away from them, and I guess that's why I came here." She shrugged. "I have things to do, and I guess I need to do them on my own."

Valerie nodded and stood; picking up the empty bowl Carmen handed to her and froze. From here, with Carmen's cloak not covering her shoulder she saw that there was scratch marks running along her shoulder and down her back, and noticing of what Valerie saw, smiled.

"A story" she whispered. "For another time."

And this was a story; Valerie knew she needed to hear.

**I love how I kind of leave you guys to assume. What are you assuming right now? Review! **


	8. Foot Prints in the Snow

**Hey, I'm back and I am going to finish this fan fiction! So, if your still reading this, chapter 8! **

"A story, eh?" Valerie asked, sitting down, folding her hands into her lap. "Care to share?"

"Well," Carmen murmured, putting her nearly untouched bowl of soup down in front of her and looking back up at Valerie. "It's actually kind of complicated."

Valerie narrowed her eyes. "My life's been pretty complicated. Try me."

"Okay," Carmen nodded. "Alright, it all started about a year ago. When-"

The front door swung open and standing in the doorway was Peter, his dark eyes warm but when they landed on Carmen sitting on Valerie's couch, they grew colder.

"Peter," Valerie smiled, standing up and walking over to her true love, standing in front of him, as his eyes moved from one girl to the other. "Are you alright?"

Peter blinked and he smiled at Valerie. "Of course, Valerie." He put his arm around her waist and kissed her on the forehead. "Just a little stunned. I thought Carmen would have gone home after…"

"After what?" Valerie asked, and then she heard Carmen couch, indicating she was still in the room.

The couple turned to see Carmen standing their, her arms folded behind her back, something glimmering against her neck. Her dark hair as alight by the fire behind her and she was wearing one of Valerie's old dresses that seemed a bit too small for her but still fit. The yellow dress made her golden eyes look brighter, and the small charm on her necklace darker.

"Peter," She said coolly. "Welcome home,"

"Thanks," Peter said, his jaw clenched and Valerie stared between the two curiously.

"Would you like some soup?" Valerie asked, walking over to the kettle that was still on the table and picking up it up. "Still warm."

"No thank you," Peter said calmly, his eyes still locked with Carmen's. "I um…I actually have to go."

"Oh, why Peter?" Carmen asked, innocently. "I think you should stay. I was about to tell Valerie the story of how we met, wouldn't you like to hear?"

Peter shook his head and he looked like the wanted nothing more to get out of that room at that moment, and he quickly turned away, throwing the door open and running outside.

After a long beat of silence Carmen sat back down onto the couch and picked up a bowl of soup, taking the spoon and stirring it in slow circles.

"What was that?" Valerie asked suddenly. Honestly, Carmen had just made Peter leave, though he'd wanted to leave on his own because of Carmen, but that wasn't the point. Whatever it was she had done to him, it was serious and now she was just casually stirring soup?

"What?" Carmen asked, not looking up from her bowl.

"You just made Peter leave," Valerie told her, walking over to the door and grabbing her grand mother's cloak.

"Valerie, what are you doing?" Carmen asked suddenly, staring at her friend with a fixed expression.

"I'm going out to find him." Valerie told her.

"What?" Carmen explained, sitting up so suddenly that she dropped the bowl and all of its contents splattered all over the floor. 'Valerie, are you crazy?"

"Carmen, I have to go after him." She said a matter off factly, tying the small draw string in front of her and running her hand through her hair. "You don't understand, I-"

"It's a full moon tonight," Carmen told her and suddenly she was inches away from Valerie, her golden eyes meeting Valerie's blue ones with only inches away from ach other. "You can't go out there, not tonight."

"I don't know why you're acting light this." Valerie tried to sound carefree, even though she knew for a fact that there was a wolf lurking out in the woods. "There hasn't been a wolf here since it was killed two years ago."

"Valerie," Carmen said calmly, but Valerie saw that the girl's eyes were petrified. "You can't go out there. Not tonight, you shouldn't go out there on any other night but especially not tonight."

"Carmen I…" Valerie shook her head. She wouldn't be swayed by this girl's pleads. No, she had to find Peter. "I'm sorry, I have to go."

"Please, wait!" Carmen pleaded, but Valerie had already ducked under Carmen's arm and was running through the still open door and down the stairs.

It had started to snow, and the ground was already covered with white and in it she could see Peter's foot prints. All she had to do was follow.

"Valerie!" Carmen yelled, and Valerie turned, looking up to see Carmen standing in the open doorway, bright light surrounding her like an angel. "Please, please don't go out tonight. Please don't do this!"

"I have to, Carmen." Valerie called back, taking a few steps back as she spoke. "I really have to."

Carmen shook her head. "You don't understand, do you? Valerie-"

"Valerie!" Someone cried, and both girls turned to see another figure running towards them. At first she expected it to be peter, but it was much too small and the hair to long. And it was much lighter then his too...

"Prudence!" Valerie exclaimed, and ran towards her friend ho was furiously running toward the cottage. "What are you doing out here."

"Valerie!" Prudence repeated, finally stopping in front of her friend and taking deep breaths. "Oh god, Valerie we have to….we have to…"

"Prudence, come down." Valerie said, trying to soothe her friend. "Take a deep breath, alright?"

Prudence nodded and took a few long even breaths before she said in a rapid jumble of words. "We have to go right now!"

"Where?" Valerie asked.

"To Rose's house." Prudence explained, quickly. "Henry and I were visiting her tonight and she said how her stomach was hurting, and then she started screaming. She's going into labor, Valerie. Right now!"

"She's having the baby?" Valerie repeated her eyes wide. "But, I thought she wasn't due for another two weeks."

"I thought so too, but we need to go!" Prudence told her, pulling her friend towards the forest's entrance. "Right now."

"Alright, alright." Valerie agreed. "But first let me tell Carmen."

"Carmen?" Prudence echoed.

"Yes," Valerie said, starting down the path back to the house. "She's staying with me. She's in the doorway right now."

"Um, Valerie?" Prudence asked, cocking her head uneasily to the side.

"Prudence, we have to go." Valerie said, pulling her friend behind her. "Come on, if we want to get to Rose's house before she has the baby we'll need to-"

"Carmen's not in the doorway." Prudence told her, and Valerie turned looking up to see that in fact Carmen wasn't in the doorway anymore. She took a few more steps towards her home and saw that there were foot prints.

Directly leading into the woods.

**Dramatic, isn't it? Please review and feel free to yell at me for not posting in forever. **


	9. The Other Wolf

They heard the screaming before they'd even gotten to the village. It was just screaming in pain though, it was something else that Valerie couldn't detect but there was something else that seemed to unease Valerie as they ran to their friend's home.

"Rose," Prudence called, running past Valerie and throwing the front door open while Valerie walked more slowly towards the front door. Snow swirled around her, and everything was dead silent except for the cries of her friend, and then she heard a loud snap.

Instantly she froze, unable to turn around as another snap sounded behind her, and then the rustle of leaves.

_Please, _Valerie thought, clenching her eyes shut._ Please, please be Peter. Please be Peter. _

The snaps grew louder, and then she heard a low growl sound, only a few feet away and finally she turned.

Of all the times she had to be wrong, this was probably the worst.

. . .

The wolf was gray, not black like she'd thought. It was about the size her father had been, with a massive head bigger then most of the barrels at the tavern filled with ale and paws that with one swipe could take off Valerie's entire head. Its luminescent gold eyes glimmered at her as it stopped a few feet away from Valerie. _Human eyes,_ she thought.

The wolf's ears flattened and its growl grew louder. It crept toward her, teeth bearded and body tensed to spring, and she kept staring at its eyes. Then, she let her gaze travel lower and she saw something dark under the wolf's fur.

_A piece of bark? _She wondered, but then the wolf pounced.

Quicker then a human should, thank god she was part wolf, she ducked, landing on her hands and knees as the wolf soared over her. She looked up and saw that it wasn't a piece of bark in the wolf's fur but a small dark talisman, in the shape of a wolf.

"Carmen," She whispered and rolled away as they wolf turned back for another attempt to snap at her. Valerie stopped at the edge of another house and raised her head. The wolf was still watching her, but now it was closer to rose's house. As if on cue another shriek erupted from inside and the wolf raised its head to hear.

Seeking possibly the only chance she had, Valerie stood, and arms braised, walking back, until the wolf turned its attention back to her.

"Carmen," She said softly, and the wolf's ears flattened against its skull once more. "Carmen please, don't do this."

The wolf sprang again, and this time Valerie wasn't as lucky, she dove away, but it managed to rip apart a large piece of her cloak. The loud ripping sound cut through the night, and Valerie flinched.

"Please, Carmen!" Valerie called, louder this time. "Stop this, you know me!"

The wolf shook its massive head and dove for Valerie once more, and this time he grabbed her by the hood of her cloak, and threw her. For a few moments she flew through the air but finally landed on the hard cobble stone street, hearing something crack.

"Carmen," She whispered, as the wolf stalked towards her and then another scream erupted from Rose's home. Again the wolf turned its head and Valerie tried to pull herself up. Surprisingly, her back wasn't broken, although very sore and she could stand, but her left leg was aching.

She stood unsteadily, and looked around. There was no where she could go where Carmen couldn't reach her…except the church!

Instantly Valerie turned, hobbling as fast as she could towards the sanctuary of the church building. Half way there she heard the wolf's footsteps coming closer and she ran as fast as she [possibly good. The moment she felt her foot hit holy ground the wolf was almost upon her and she tumbled the rest of the way, falling down on the other side and barley being able to lift her head to see the wolf snap and try to cross the barrier.

"Stop it, Carmen!" Valerie exclaimed. "Stop doing this! Please, you know me; would you hurt me if you were human right now?"

The wolf growled again and tried to snap at her once more, but this ended up burning its muzzle which needed to make it grow even angrier.

"Carmen…." Valerie whispered, sitting onto her knees and staring up at the wolf's golden eyes. "Please, Carmen. Please remember me."

Something flickered in the wolf's golden eyes then, and suddenly it stepped back, cocking its head at Valerie and finally, bowing its head towards her.

"Carmen?" Valerie asked, more socked then suspicious and the wolf looked up at her and gave a small nod.

_My father couldn't nod. _Valerie thought, but instead she stood up, quite unsteadily and held up her hand to the wolf. "Can you…..understand me?"

The wolf nodded again, and gave Valerie a wolfish grin, rolling its tongue out and making it look, quite playful.

Valerie took a deep breath, and took a step, a small one out of the church grounded. The wolf seemed to see this and took a step towards her, leaning its massive head low so that her hand almost touched it's snout. It snorted a warm breath on her hand and Valerie smelled the earth scent of soil and musk.

_This is Carmen,_ she thought suddenly. _This is the girl who I saved this morning. The gypsy girl with bright yellow eyes who knew Peter and long dark hair. Though, her since father's hair was black, with a bit of gray tinted in his coat matched. But this wolf's coat was gray. Curious, maybe-_

Valerie's thought were interrupted as something rustled in the bushes and then a large wolf appeared. This one was dark brown, with matching colored eyes and Valerie knew, as she knew if she saw this wolf any where else, it was Peter.

And then the wolves eyes met.

Something sizzled between them, and instantly, Carmen abandoned her post near Valerie and walked over to where Peter was. The two wolves faced each other for a few moments and then, Carmen struck.

In a flurry of motion the two wolves were at each other's throats. Carmen bit Peter's flank and he returned the action with ma bit to her neck. It was gruesome to watch, But Valerie find herself unable to look away. And then something tackled her to the ground.

"Are you crazy?" A familiar accented voice asked, and Valerie was surprised to see that she was facing another pair of golden eyes.

"Carmen?"


	10. Brought To The Light

**Read! **

"Carmen?" Valerie whispered, as Carmen jumped up and held out a hand for her friend to take.

"Come on, Valerie. We have to go, now!" Carmen told her. "We need to get you to safety right now before he tries to get you again."

"Carmen, what are you doing here?" Valerie demanded, grabbing her friends hand and pulling herself up.

"Trying to save you from my brother," Carmen explained, throwing an anxious glance over her shoulder. "I hope Peter can keep him at bay until we can get inside."

"No, stop you need to explain what's going on." Valerie said furiously as another scream erupted from Rose's home and both of them froze. "Rose,"

"What?" Carmen asked running towards her friend. "Valerie is that who's pregnant? A girl named rose?"

Valerie nodded.

"And do you know who the father is?" Carmen asked quickly.

Valerie shook her head.

"_Mio dio_," She said under her breath and walked over to the edge of the church circle, far enough from where the wolves were still trying to rip out each other's throats but close enough to see the distance towards Rose's home. "We'll never make it."

"Carmen?" Valerie asked, and papered at her friends shoulder. "Before we do anything, you need to tell me what is going on, and who that is." She gestured to the gray wolf that was biting Peter's flank.

Carmen looked over at the two wolves and nodded, grabbing her friend's hand. "Valerie, I'll tell you, and then we have to run, alright?"

Valerie gave her friend a swift nod.

"Alright," Carmen nodded to herself. "Valerie, that wolf over there is here because he's looking for something. Something that he believes belongs to him."

"How do you know?" Valerie asked, and Carmen bit her lip.

"Because," She said softly, tears streaking down her cheeks, "He's my brother."

. . .

"Your brother?" Valerie whispered, looking over at the gray wolf. "You mean-"

"If you want to understand it, I'll have to tell you everything." Carmen interrupted, and turned to face rose's house. "Follow me and I'll explain on the way."

"My father is a werewolf," Carmen whispered, running out of the church circle and ducking behind a small hut while Valerie followed. "And his father before him, and his father's father before him. It's a gift passed down the De Luna blood line, to the eldest male son."

"You mean he's a born werewolf?" Valerie asked, but Carmen shook her head.

"No," She replied softly. "No one is born a monster, but the eldest is always blessed with the curse."

Valerie shook her head, thinking how odd it was to hear someone speak about a curse in such away. The way Carmen said it made it sound like it was a gift, something beautiful and wonderful instead of something that nearly tore her life apart.

"We were a happy family," Carmen continued. "My father, my mother, and Daemon and I. we lived with the circus fantasy, but really we were scouting for others like ourselves, hoping to band together so we wouldn't truly be alone. That's how we met Peter.

"He was obviously a new werewolf, we could always tell. We told him how hard it was to be one, but how much it was worth it to be running through the woods, a free and untamed spirit that could never be caught. He used to smile at that, and he told us a little about you too. But that's when things got bad…."

They were closer to the house now, but Carmen kept her voice quiet. "It was Peter's first night, his very first full moon and Daemon and I wanted to see what it was like, so we climbed a tree, so far up that Peter would never be able to see it and watched his first change happen.

"It was beautiful and gruesome at the same time. One moment he was Peter, the next a strong proud wolf, prowling along the earth and sniffing the air for his prey. And while we watched, daemon told me how excited he was to be a wolf, and that's when he fell."

She stopped and clasped a hand over her mouth to stop her from sniffling. "I watched in horror as my brother lost his grip and fell down off the tree and finally hit the ground, and that's when Peter saw him…."

Carmen shook her head. "After that night, Peter disappeared and then as the full moon approached daemon began to change. My father and my mother were heart broken, it was customary for the father to change his son, but Daemon didn't care. He was a wolf now, and he changed too. He became more ruthless and evil; when he was a wolf he'd kill things without reason. He once brought me the body of a dead doe, and made me watch as the fawn wander aimlessly looking for the mother it didn't even know it lost."

Only a few more feet now, and Carmen turned to face Valerie. "I spoke with my mother one night, and she told me they were going to send him away, too be a wolf with other elder ones who could watch over him, and he heard us. He was furious and ran away from camp. I didn't see him for month.

I was picking berries in thee woods when I heard him approach behind me. He looked stronger and scarier then he had before, but all he did was smile at me like before he changed and told me it was done. Then went back to camp." She shook her head. "It wasn't until later I realized that he'd gone to a town far away and raped a women. He wanted a son that he could teach to be a real wolf, like his father hadn't taught him." She looked over t Rose's home. "And that's why he's here, to take the baby."

Valerie's mouth hung open in an open O as everything fell into place. All her questions answered, all of her doubts brought into the light and now she had to do something to save her own friend. "What do we do?"

Carmen grinned, and her wolfish yellow eyes gleamed in the moonlight. "We have to steal it first."

**Well, now you're all caught up, but if they succeed is a different story entirely. Pun intended. Review! **


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